Island Swim Dessert Recipe

This awesome summer treat is not only fun to make but fun to eat as well. A had tons of fun making this with my mom. Decorate the cookies to look like your swimming suit or the colors of your party. Eating some of the decorations is fun, too.—Sara Martin, Brookfield, Wisconsin

Directions

In a large saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil over medium heat. Add flour all at once; stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny.

Spread into a greased 3-qt. baking dish. Bake at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 350°.

Roll out cookie dough to 1/4-in. thickness. With floured 3-in. and 4-1/4-in. gingerbread boy cookie cutters, cut out 12 swimmers. Reroll scraps; cut out 1-1/2-in. circles for beach balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 11-13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

For glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar, water and corn syrup until smooth. Divide glaze among small bowls; tint with food coloring as desired. Using a small brush and stirring the glaze often, brush glaze over cookies. Allow glazed cookies to set for at least 1 hour. Add designs with writing icing and nonpareils as desired.

For filling, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, milk and pudding mixes until smooth. Spread over puff layer; refrigerate for 20 minutes. Set aside 2 tablespoons whipped topping for crests of waves; stir blue food coloring into remaining topping. Spread over filling; swirl, forming waves. Form crests with reserved topping. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Meanwhile, for palm trees, break or cut 1 in. from one Pirouette cookie and 1-1/2 in. from another Pirouette. Leave remaining Pirouette full length.

Sprinkle sugar on a work surface. For each palm tree, place three spearmint leaves on sugared surface. With a rolling pin, roll out each into an oval; cut out into a palm leaf shape. Using spearmint leaf scraps, attach three palm leaves to each Pirouette cookie; place flat. Let stand, uncovered, until set.

Just before serving, sprinkle corner of dessert with cracker crumbs for an island; position trees in sand. Add swimmers and a beach ball to the water. Serve with additional cookies.Yield: 1 centerpiece and 18 cookies.

Originally published as Island Swim Dessert in Fun Food 2008
2008, p16